Ten years after the creation of the Dogme manifesto and with the tenth Danish film, its all over, In Your Hands Forbrydelser directed by Annette K. Olesen is officially the last certifiable Dogme feature film.

I can remember seeing Celebration Festen directed by Thomas Vinterberg, the first official Dogme film for the first time, and I remember being surprised and shocked at the almost amateurishness of the camera work, editing etc, it says something for the film that I thought it was outstanding.

No 2 of course was the controversial The Idiots - Idioterne from Lars von Trier, this was the film that due to its subject matter and content brought The Dogme Manifesto into the limelight, all the press negativity actually made the film more successful.

As for Dogme 34 In Your Hands Forbrydelser while certainly not as controversial as the first few it's not a bad way to finish, if of course it is the end! you never can tell, after all there are still plenty of shorts being made under the rules and who needs a certificate anyway?

I'll do a proper review for In Your Hands Forbrydelser and link it to this post.

The Dogme manifesto or "Vow of Chastity."

"I swear to submit to the following set of rules drawn up and confirmed by DOGME 95:

1. Shooting must be done on location. Props and sets must not be brought in (if a particular prop is necessary for the story, a location must be chosen where this prop is to be found).
2. The sound must never be produced apart from the images or vice versa. (Music must not be used unless it occurs where the scene is being shot).
3. The camera must be hand-held. Any movement or immobility attainable in the hand is permitted. (The film must not take place where the camera is standing; shooting must take place where the film takes place).
4. The film must be in colour. Special lighting is not acceptable. (If there is too little light for exposure the scene must be cut or a single lamp be attached to the camera).
5. Optical work and filters are forbidden.
6. The film must not contain superficial action. (Murders, weapons, etc. must not occur.)
7. Temporal and geographical alienation are forbidden. (That is to say that the film takes place here and now.)
8. Genre movies are not acceptable.
9. The film format must be Academy 35 mm.
10. The director must not be credited.
Furthermore I swear as a director to refrain from personal taste! I am no longer an artist. I swear to refrain from creating a "work", as I regard the instant as more important than the whole. My supreme goal is to force the truth out of my characters and settings. I swear to do so by all the means available and at the cost of any good taste and any aesthetic considerations.
Thus I make my VOW OF CHASTITY."
Copenhagen, Monday 13 March 1995

On behalf of DOGME 95

Lars von Trier Thomas Vinterberg

Im sure weve all seen a few of the Dogme films, Ive still got a couple on DVD to watch including the Korean film Interview Dogme No 7, so with the end of an era and an ideal, what are your thoughts?

I'have only seen few Dogme films, but from my first (Festen) onwards I was hooked. It opened up new possibilities for amateur filmmakers, showing that a film can have bad lightning, sound, etc. and still be great, and successfull and even get a theatricasl release.
Of course the whole vow of chastity is more an experiment, and a means for achieving new creativity, and I think it has worked, and given us some of the best films of the last ten years. And although you don't get a certificate anymore - who cares? Get hold of your hand-held camera and long live Dogme!

I've seen most of the ones you've listed, plus some more. My favorite Dogme film has to be Open Hearts. I don't really like Dogme too much. It's an interesting idea, but sometimes it just doesn't work. I thought the Dogme "style" really worked in Open Hearts though. Great movie with some great performances.

An extremely well acted ensemble piece, a tragic relationship drama that doesnt tip into whimsy or melodrama. A young couple is tragically split when the boyfriend, Joachim is paralysed after being hit by a car. The girlfriend, Cecilie becomes attached to one of the doctors in the hospital who is more than happy to give his time (primarily because his wife was the driver of the car that crippled the boyfriend).

Joachim gradually becomes aware of his condition and (very true to real life) goes through every emotion possible, anger, bitterness, self pity, and he does his best to push Cecile away from him. She cannot understand or accept his reactions and slowly becomes closer to the doctor, eventually leading to them becoming lovers.

Meanwhile the doctors wife is glad that he can offer some aid to Cecilie, she carries an enormous burden of guilt since the accident and doesnt see the crisis looming although her eldest daughter has her suspicions.

Full marks for the acting, very true to life especially Nikolaj Lie Kaas as the tetraplegic Joachim. the anger taken out on those closest to you and against those treating you is honest, acceptance takes time (if it ever happens) and in the mean time people have to vent their feelings. The main nurse treating him was also excellent and again very natural.

Paprika Steen, always a fine actress holds the fort as the guilt ridden wife trying to deal with her emotions and keep her family together, her performance again is superlative and has a genuine feeling to it. The script and direction are taut, fine work from Susanne Bier who has since directed "Brothers".

A painful slice of life in a high quality drama, a definite recommendation.

Mifune had imo some little problems as it seemed to me at times too crowd-pleasing sentimental and a bit mainstream, the others were exceptional films imo. Probably the first 4 would all make it in my Top 10 of the years they were made in.
But I must say it has been a long time since I've seen them, the "newest" being Open Heart on its theatrical release (two years ago?) and it blew me away.